Being described as the ‘new Eminem’ by croissant-headed businessman Donald Trump is not a traditional way to go from contender to Heavyweight for a young Hip-Hop artist. But when the billionaire tweeted that last year in response to Mac Miller’s single ‘Donald Trump’, the video racked up 53 million views on YouTube and the adulation rolled in.

It’s a lazy comparison to call any young white rapper the ‘new Eminem’, but as we doubt Trump is much of a Hip-Hop head he can be forgiven. Lyrically and stylistically, there is no comparison. Where Eminem exploded with cutthroat lyrics, rapid-fire delivery and a back-story that would have most reaching for the bottle, Mac Miller celebrates his love for life in a rock/rap celebratory style over soulful instrumental hooks and samples that hint at a diverse musical knowledge.

If this all seems a quick turnaround for the man who once said, “I been laughed at, hated on, no one would even play my songs. Wouldn’t even listen to anything that my name was on,” then it hasn’t come without graft. A teenage jock, he switched his attentions to Hip-Hop aged 15 in 2007 and released the mixtape ‘But My Mackin’ Ain’t Easy’ under the name EZ Mac shortly after.

I been laughed at, hated on, no one would even play my songs. Wouldn’t even listen to anything that my name was on…

Despite the help he received from Trump, his real big break came through fellow Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa. In early 2010, he was recording with Wiz at ID Labs and got noticed by Rostrum Records. By the time the year was out he’s released another mixtape and sold out every venue on his Incredibly Dope tour, and within 18 months his first album, Blue Slide Park, had debuted at Number One on The billboard Hot 200.

Having recently worked with Pharell, he’s furthered his reputation as the hottest thing in Hip-Hop. With the big players in the genre stagnating in their ivory towers having jumped the shark, the time is ripe for Mac Miller to take his star to levels previously scaled by one Marshall Mathers lll. As he says himself, “It seems I’m getting fresher everytime I turn around.” We reckon he’ll be turning for some time yet.

Check out our exclusive interview with Mac where he talks about his rise, his musical influences and his hit list of artists to work with…